Change-giving apparatus



1954 c. E. BOURACIER 7 3, 17,581

CHANGE-GIVING APPARATUS Filed March 6, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Awe/v 75f 6mm EBa /arc we Jan. 14, 1964 c. E. BOURACIER 3,117,581

- CHANGE-GIVING APPARATUS Filed March a. 1961 A 3 Sheets-sheet 2 Jan. 14, 1964 c. E. BOURACIER 3,117,531

CHANGE-GIVING APPARATUS Filed March 6, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent M 3,117,581 CHANGEEGEVENG AZPARATUS Cyril Eugene isonracier, 340 Bensham Lane, 'lih rnton Heath, Surrey, England Filed Mar. 6, 1961, Ser. N 93,622 filaims pri rity, application Great Britain Aug. 16, 196i} 4 Qiaims. (Cl. 133-4) This invention relates to automatic vending machines, and more particularly to an automatic change-giving apparatus for use in conjunction with automatic vending machines.

Vending machines are being increasingly employed for the distribution of a large range of packaged goods and the prices of the goods vary widely. It is of considerable convenience both in the manufacture and use of such machines if they can be made in standard patterns which are readily adaptable to distribute packages of diiierent sizes and at different prices.

In our United Kingdom Patents Nos. 687,359 and 707,432 and our co-pending United Kingdom patent applications No. 16285/60 dated Nay 9, and No. 2.8370/60 dated August 16, 1960, there are described automatic vending machines, means for altering the divisions in a magazine compartment to suit different sizes of packages, and a control system which is adaptable to accept one or more coins of different values. The change-giving appsratus according to the present invention, when used in conjunction with machines described in the aforementioned patents and patent applications, enables articles within a wide range of sizes and prices to be sold by the same machine. It will, of course, be understood that the invention may also be used with automatic vending machines other than those described in the said patents and patent applications.

The invention consists of a change-giving apparatus for an automatic vendin machine comprising one more vertical columns each adapted to contain a stack of coins, a support for the respective stack of coins at the bottom of each column, an opening at one side of each colman to allow at least the lowermost coin to slide sideways from beneath the stack, a transverse slot through each support, the slots being parallel and directed towards the respective openings, a reciprocable carriage having a number of fingers equal to the number of columns, each finger being adapted during reciprocation of the carriage to slide in one of the transverse slots to push one or more coins from the bottom of the respective stack through the respective opening, and means coupling the carriage to the vending mechanism of the ma chine to cause the carriage to make one complete reciprocating cycle during each vending cycle.

Preferably the coupling means contains a disengaging device adapted to disengage the coupling means it the resistance of the arriage to movement exceeds a predetermined maximum.

According to a feature or" the invention the disengaging device is adapted, as it disengages the coupling means, to operate a switch connected to inhibit the coin mechanism of the machine.

For United Kingdom coinage there may be four columns, one adapted to receive a stack of threepenny pieces, two adapted to accept stacks of penny pieces and one adapted to accept a stack of halfpenny pieces.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, having reference to the accompany.- ing drawings in which:

FEGURE 1 is a front elevation of the change-giving apparatus according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG- URE l;

3,ll7,53l Patented Jan. 14, 1964 FIGURE 3 is an elevation partly in section of the operative mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of the carriage; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional elevation of the carriage of FIGURE 4.

Referring to the drawings, the change-giving apparatus comprises a structure 11, which may be built up of a number of components fixed together by welding, riveting or bolting. Four flanged members 12, l3, l4 and 15 are secured to the upper part of the structure ll. Each flanged member is adapted to support a vertically disposed tube constituting a coin column, each tube being of convenient internal diameter to accept a stack of coins of a particular value. In the embodiment, a tube 16 fixed to the flanged member 12 is adapted to accept a stack of penny pieces, a tube 17 fixed to the flanged member '13- is adapted to accept a stock of halfpenny pieces, a tube 18 fixed to the flanged member 14 is adapted t6 accept a stack of threepenny pieces and a tube 19 fixed to the flanged member 15 is adapted to accept a second stack of penny pieces. Conveniently a pair of side brackets 21 and a member 2% are provided for mounting the change-giving device in the vending machine. Each flangedmember includes a base which forms a support for the respective stack of coins and a part of the wall is cut away to form an opening at one side through which the lowermost coin of the stack may slide. Each flanged member is also formed with a transverse slot through its base directed towards the opening in the side wall. In the case of the flanged member 12 there is an opening 23 in the side wall which passes beneath the lower end of the tube constituting the column and a transverse slot 24 is formed through the base 22. Similarly, the flanged member 13 is provided with an opening 2s and a transverse slot 27 in its base 25, the flanged member 14 is provided with an opening 29 and a trans verse slot 3% in its base 26 and the flanged member 15 is provided with an opening 32 and a transverse slot 33 in its base 31.

A carriage, generally indicated by reference 34, is adapted to reciprocate horizontally in the structure ill. it comprises a transverse member 35 and two downwardly projecting lugs 36 and 37 adapted to slide on horizontal guide bars. The lugs 36 and 37 have long rearwardly projecting portions and the bores engaging the guide bars are of considerable length, so that canting of the carriage during its sliding movement is prevented. The transverse member 35 is also provided with two upwardly projecting lugs 38 and 39 to support a cross bar 49' which carries four fingers, respectively 41, 42, 43 and 44. These fingers are adapted to slide respectively in the transverse slots 24:, 27, 3t? and 33 during the sliding movement of the carriage. Adjusting screws 45, 46, 47 and 48 are provided on the respective fingers to enable their height to be adjusted so that each finger in sliding across the respective transverse slot pushes the lowermost coin of the stack through the opening in the side wall of the respective member; thus the finger 41 will slide across the transverse slot 24 pushing the lowermost penny of the stack within the column 16 through the opening 23, from which it falls into a chute 49 leading to a receptacle for all the coins, the receptacle being accessible to the customer who has inserted a coin or coins in the vending machine.

The cross member 35 is formed from end t0 5 nd with a bore. Contained in the bore are two plungers 5t) and Sfl each fitted with a ball, respectively "52 and 53;, at its inner end and each provided with a backing spring, respectively 54 and 55, at its outer end, the ends of the bore being closed by two plugs 56 and 57 which support the pressure of the springs 5d and 55. The cross member 35 is also formed with a horizontal bore lying transversely of the bore containing the plunger-s Sil and 51, the transverse bore containing a rod 58 slidable therein. The rod 58 is formed with a deep circumferential groove 59 and in normal operation is so positioned that the two balls 52. and 53 engage in the groove 59 to locate the rod S lengthwise with respect to the carriage. A cable 69 is attached to one end of the rod 53 by a nipple fixed to the cable 6%} passing through a hollow bolt 61 screwed into the end of the rod 53. The cable 6t) passes through a bush 62. at the rear end of the structure 11 and thence into an outer tubular covering 62:: so that it constitutes an operating cable of the Bowden type. The other end of the cable as is connected to the vending mechanism (not shown) of the vending machine in such a manner that during each vending cycle the cable 6% is pulled through a predetermined distance, thus moving the carriage 34 from left to right in FEGURE 3, and causing the fingers 41 to 44 each to pass across the respective transverse slot in the respective flanged member in order to push the lowermost coin of the respective stack through the respective opening and into the chute 4-9. After the carriage 34 has performed this movement the vending mechanism relaxes the tension on the cable 5t! and the carriage 34 is returned to its initial position by springs (not shown). Thus, at each vending cycle the customer receives a predetermined amount of change through the chute 49.

If for any reason the resistance of the carriage 34 in response to the pull of the cable 619 should exceed a predetermined maximum then the pressure of the springs 54 and 55 is overcome whereupon the plungers 50 and S1 and the balls 52 and 53 move outwardly to allow the rod 58 to slide on its own. The structure 11 has attached to it a switch 6-3 having a roller 64- connected to its operating arm. The roller s4 is spring-pressed into contact with the rod 58. Each time the carriage 34 slides normally with the rod 58 the roller 6 runs over the end es of the rod 58 and the switch 63 opens, but closes again as the carriage and the rod 53 return to the initial position. If, however, the carriage at any stage of operation resists the pull of the cable 61} and the rod 58 is disengaged by outward movement of the plungers St) and 53 then the rod 5?: is displaced from left to right with respect to the carriage 34 and remains in the displaced position when the carriage returns to its initial position. In consequence the switch 63, which is connected in the coin acceptor mechanism of the vending machine, remains open. This sets the coin acceptor mechanism to a condition in which it will refuse to accept further coins, or will reject coins offered to it.

if the cable on should be fairly stif then when the vending machine mechanism returns the cable towards the end of the vending cycle it will push on the rod 58. If the rod has been disengaged from the carriage due, for example, to a bent coin, the cable might push the rod back into engagement with the carriage, in which case the switch 63 would be re-closed and the vending machine would again function normally but would fail to give change. This is prevented by a retaining groove 66 formed in the rod 58. When the carriage resists the pull of the cable the rod is pulled out of engagement, as already described, and the movement is sufiicient to enable the plungers 5t? and 51 and the balls 52 and 53 to engage the groove 66. In consequence the cable 66 only moves out of the bush 62 until the carriage has moved back to its initial position, and after that the slack in the cable forms a bend in an unsupported length at the end connected to the vending mechanism.

To re-set the device after it has become disengaged, it is first necessary to clear the obstruction which has caused the disengagement. For this purpose the frameworn containing all the coin columns is removed very simply by undoing two thumb screws 67, when the columns may be lifted off as a unit. This facility is, incidentally, very useful in normally re-stocking the machine, especially when the machine is being used out of doors, since the coin column unit may be taken indoors for refilling. Having cleared the obstruction, the carriage 3d is pushed sharply back. After it has moved some distance the screw 61 comes into contact with a stop 63 screwed on to the bush 2, and further movement of the carriage causes the rod 53 to be re-engaged in its normal operative position. In place of the stop 68, the rod 58 may be extended so that the screw 61 comes into contact with the bush 62. In place of the thumb screws 67 the column unit may be retained by a quick-acting latch or bolt.

If the four columns 16 to 19 are all filled then at each operation of the carriage 3 one threepenny piece, two penny pieces and one halfpenny piece are delivered through the chute 29, thus giving 5 /2d. change. By leaving one or more of the columns empty, an amount of change may be given ranging from one haltpenny to 5 /20.. Where the facility to deliver the mam'mum amount of 5 /zd. is not required the apparatus may, of course, be made up with less than four columns.

By using two coin selectors, as described in our copending United Kingdom patent application No. 28,370/ 60 dated August 16, 1960, either of which may be adapted to accept sixpenny pieces, shilling pieces, two-shilling pieces or half-crown pieces, the vending machine, in conjunction with the change-giving apparatus of the present invention, may be arranged to sell an article for any sum ranging from one halfpenny to five shillings, in steps of one halfpenny.

In adapting a machine to sell packages for a particular price there may be more than one way of arranging the coin selectors and the change-giving apparatus. For example, if the amount is 3 /2d., two coin selectors adapted respectively to accept 3d. pieces and penny pieces may be provided and the apparatus may be set to deliver a halfpenny piece as change in each sale. Alternatively a single coin selector adapted to accept sixpenny pieces may be used, the apparatus being set to deliver Z /Zd.

' If the amount should be is. (l /id. then a coin selector to accept shilling pieces may be used with a second selector to accept either penny pieces, threepenny pieces or sixpenny pieces, the apparatus being set to deliver a halfpenny, 2%d. or 5 /zd. in change in the respective cases.

With the re-introduction of five-shilling pieces as regular coinage the price range of a machine having two coin selectors is extended to ten shillings. However, 5 Ad. change is insufficient to cover all possible coin and price combinations. For example, in the case of an article costing between 6s. 0%. d. and 6s. 6d. coin selectors adapted respectively for five-shilling and two-shilling pieces would have to be used and change ranging from Sixpence to 11 /2 d. would be required. column may be made with an adjustable base which may be lowered so that two coins are pushed out at each operation of the apparatus. Three columns are then sufiicient to provide change up to 5 /2 d. and the fourth.

column may be adapted to take silver coins, such as sixpenny or shilling pieces.

The disengaging facility may be used as a safeguard against faulty loading of the machine. If the machine is re-stocked with goods and the operator should forget to re-load the coin columns then the machine could run out of change, while still continuing to sell goods. This may be prevented by placing on top of each stack of coins a metal disc having the same diameter as the coins of the respective stack but having three or four times the thickness of a normal coin. As soon as the last coin has been issued from any stack the disc drops into coin issuing position and at the next operation of the apparatus the respective finger presses against the disc. Since, however, the disc is much too thick to pass through the opening in the side wall of the respective flanged member the carriage is stopped and the disengaging device operates. In consequence the Whole machine is put into the nonoperative condition.

In such a case one penny Although the change-giving apparatus has been described in relation to United Kingdom coinage, it will readily be apparent that it may be adapted, by mere selection of the number of columns, and adaptation of the columns for coins of particular size and thickness, so that it is suitable for the coinage of any country. Such adaptation is assisted by the fact that the flanged members 12, 13, 14 and 15 are made interchangeable.

I claim:

1. Change-giving apparatus for an automatic vending machine comprising a plurality of vertical columns each adapted to contain a stack of coins, the columns being of various sizes to contain coins of different denominations so that any desired amount of change may be provided by placing coins in selected columns, a support for the respective stack of coins at the bottom of each column, an opening at one side of each column to allow at least the lowermost coin to slide sideways from beneath the stack, a transverse slot through each support, the slots being parallel and directed towards the respective openings, a reciprocable carria e having a number of fingers equal'to the number of columns, each finger being adapted during reciprocation of the carriage to slide in one of the transverse slots to push at least one coin from the bottom of the respective stack through the respective opening it the column contains coins, and means coupling the carriage to the vending mechanism of the machine to cause the carriage to make one complete reciprocating cycle during each vending cycle, whereby the desired amount of change is provided in a single movement of said carriage.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a base plate on which the columns are mounted, and means to detach the base plate to enable the assembly to be removed for re-loading with coins or clearing obstructions.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the supports are adjustable with respect to the respective openings and are settable so that a selected number of coins is pushed through the opening from the lowermost end of the column at each operation of the carriage.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a rod connected to the coupling means for the carriage and slid able in the carriage, the rod having a pair of spaced circumferential grooves, a pair of plungers having ball ends disposed in the carriage perpendicular to the rod and spring-urged into one or other of the grooves, and a switch connected in the control circuitry of the machine having an operating arm which is engaged by the rod, the plungers normally engaging one groove in the rod so that the switch is normally in a first position when the carriage is at rest, a pull on the rod which exceeds a predetermined magnitude causing the ball ends to be forced out of the said one groove against the spring pressure and to engage the other groove, the movement of the rod with respect to the carriage causing the switch to be placed in a second position when the carriage is at rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,084,011 Henry Ian. 13, 1914 1,886,684 Hunt Nov. 8, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 553,113 France Feb. 5, 1923 

1. CHANGE-GIVING APPARATUS FOR AN AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL COLUMNS EACH ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A STACK OF COINS, THE COLUMNS BEING OF VARIOUS SIZES TO CONTAIN COINS OF DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS SO THAT ANY DESIRED AMOUNT OF CHANGE MAY BE PROVIDED BY PLACING COINS IN SELECTED COLUMNS, A SUPPORT FOR THE RESPECTIVE STACK OF COINS AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH COLUMN, AN OPENING AT ONE SIDE OF EACH COLUMN TO ALLOW AT LEAST THE LOWERMOST COIN TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS FROM BENEATH THE STACK, A TRANSVERSE SLOT THROUGH EACH SUPPORT, THE SLOTS BEING PARALLEL AND DIRECTED TOWARDS THE RESPECTIVE OPENINGS, A RECIPROCABLE CARRIAGE HAVING A NUMBER OF FINGERS EQUAL TO THE NUMBER OF COLUMNS, EACH FINGER BEING ADAPTED DURING RECIPROCATION OF THE CARRIAGE TO SLIDE IN ONE OF THE TRANSVERSE SLOTS TO PUSH AT LEAST ONE COIN FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE RESPECTIVE STACK THROUGH THE RESPECTIVE OPENING IF THE COLUMN CONTAINS COINS, AND MEANS COUPLING THE CARRIAGE TO THE VENDING MECHANISM OF THE MACHINE TO CAUSE THE CARRIAGE TO MAKE ONE COMPLETE RECIPROCATING CYCLE DURING EACH VENDING CYCLE, WHEREBY THE DESIRED AMOUNT OF CHANGE IS PROVIDED IN A SINGLE MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE. 